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Democrats hang $33.4 billion
price tag on 2007 legislative session
20th District lawmakers lament session without priorities
Washington state lawmakers
handed taxpayers another double-digit spending increase by adopting a
$33.4 billion operating budget on the last day of the 2007 legislative
session in Olympia. The budget was approved on a near party-line vote in
the House, 60-36. Adoption of the two-year spending plan capped off a
disappointing session for 20th District Reps.
Richard DeBolt and Gary
Alexander, who characterized the 105-day endeavor as an expensive
one for taxpayers but lacking in solutions to meaningful priorities.
The biennial budget increases spending by 15.4 percent over the previous
budget and 33 percent over a four-year period. It spends $1.3 billion
more than the state is expected to take in during the 2007-09 budget
cycle.
“With the increased spending in this budget, it will turn the state’s $2
billion surplus into a $2 billion deficit in just a few short years,”
said Alexander, R-Olympia, who is the lead budget negotiator for
Republicans in the House. “In the simplest terms, this budget spends too
much, makes no serious attempt to find savings, and sets the taxpayers
up for a shortfall that will require substantial cuts in services or tax
increases in the future.
“It’s unfortunate, because we came into this session on the heels of a
strong economy. We had sufficient resources to take care of our most
vulnerable citizens, increase public safety, shore up our pensions, and
provide needed property tax relief. Instead, this Democrat budget spends
a lot of money without clear priorities, such as funding the
fundamentals for education,” said Alexander.
Republican lawmakers refuted the Democrat characterization of the plan
as an “education budget,” noting that of the $2 billion in added
spending on new programs, 30 percent -- $622 million -- went to the
Department of Social and Health services. Alexander and DeBolt said the
budget was typical of a session defined by a lack of responsible
priorities.
“The priorities of this session have been defined by special interests,
not the interests of Washington citizens,” explained DeBolt,
R-Chehalis, who serves as Republican Leader in the House. “Lawmakers
approved a statewide curriculum for sex education, but we still have no
statewide curriculum for math. They expanded government-run health care
but failed to adopt reforms needed to give families and employers more
affordable health care coverage. And a bill was passed to enhance
services for offenders so they can be released early from prison, but
didn’t give corrections officers the tools to put offenders back in jail
when they commit new crimes. Republicans were frustrated by the
unwillingness of the majority party to address the true priorities of
the people we represent.”
Among the few bright spots in the session, DeBolt and Alexander
said they were pleased with the creation of a constitutional rainy-day
fund, which will help protect taxpayers by ensuring funds are set aside
for emergencies or in the event of an economic downturn. Funds placed in
the account can only be spent with a 60 percent majority of the
Legislature, with exceptions for specific emergencies. The first deposit
in the rainy-day fund will equal just one percent of total revenues.
Republicans had hoped to create a bigger constitutionally protected
reserve, and they remain concerned that the looming budget deficit will
require the funds to be tapped in just a few short years.
“Rainy day funds are for unforeseen emergencies. The budget the
Legislature passed is a rainy day waiting to happen. It’s a deficit by
design,” DeBolt said.
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